SouthTech senior’s poster encourages students to ‘Ride the Wave’ of alcohol-free lifestyle
A SouthTech Academy High School senior in Boynton Beach will have her art showcased in more than 900 Palm Beach County school buses.
Merlise Hectia Elysee came up with the winning design for the 14th annual School Bus Drug Prevention Contest put on by the Hanley Foundation in partnership with The Palm Beach County Behavioral Coalition.
Palm Beach County students in grades K-12 were invited to design a poster based on this year’s theme, “Ride the Wave,” to promote an alcohol- and vape-free lifestyle for youth.
Elysee’s colorful poster features a teen girl carrying a surfboard under her arm with an ocean backdrop surrounded by tropical flowers and trees.
As this year’s grand prize winner, she also will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the West Palm Beach-based Hanley Foundation, which works to eliminate addiction through prevention, advocacy, treatment and recovery support.
“This is one of my favorite programs annually,” Diamond Howard, Hanley Foundation’s corporate director of prevention, said in a statement. “It’s so rewarding to see these kids empower themselves and each other to stay on the right track and make smart decisions. We applaud Merlise and are excited to share her creative message with thousands of students in and around Palm Beach County.”
